A blog about the garden based learning that's happening at Marquez Charter School in Pacific Palisades, CA.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Ms. Bihari's Class Plants for Spring

Today Ms. Bihari's class planted in several areas around campus. They planted corn, beans and squash in their Three Sisters Garden, pumpkin seeds near their classroom and nasturtium seeds in the pollinator garden.

Many Native Americans planted these vegetables, including the Navajo, which this class is studying as part of third grade social studies. They are called sisters because they help each other. The students planted rattlesnake beans, corn and zucchini. The beans will climb up the corn and the squash will shade the corn. At the beginning of fourth grade the children will eat succotash made with these vegetables.

The nasturtiums will attract hummingbirds and are in the pollinator garden.

fyi, All the seeds that the children planted were donated by Renee's Garden. The soil in the raised beds was donated by Kellogg's Garden Products and the seedlings were purchased with funds from the Western Growers Foundation grant.

About Me

I am the founder of the non-profit Palisades Cares which encourages community service. We also educate the community on environmental, health and other topics through workshops and other events. For more details visit www.palisadescares.org or www.palisadescares.blogspot.com.

As a UCCE Master Gardener, I network with the community to encourage edible gardening, enhance school gardens and especially encourage young gardeners. During the school year I am the volunteer garden teacher at Marquez Charter School. The garden blog is www.marquezschoolediblegarden.blogspot.com. I also hold periodic garden workshops for children at the Palisades Branch library and publish a kids garden blog: www.palikidsgarden.blogspot.com.